Application of neural networks and machine learning in networkdesign

Communication network design is becoming increasingly complex, involving making networks more usable, affordable, and reliable. To help with this, we have proposed an expert network designer (END) for configuring, modeling, simulating, and evaluating large structured computer networks, employing artificial intelligence, knowledge representation, and network simulation tools. We present a neural network/knowledge acquisition machine-learning approach to improve the END's efficiency in solving the network design problem and to extend its scope to acquire new networking technologies, learn new network design techniques, and update the specifications of existing technologies     

Influence of quantum capture and tunneling mechanisms on the dark current of bound-to-continuum quantum-well infrared photodetectors

We present a theoretical model for the dark current of bound-to-continuum quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs), by considering the field-induced mixing effect, tunneling rate and phonon scattering rate between bound and continuum states. Using this model, we can see clearly how these mechanisms significantly influence the Fermi levels of bound and continuum electrons, and thus, the dark current. Nonlinear temperature dependence of the dark current at low temperature is predicted and discussed in detail. The simulated dark currents exhibit good agreement with the experimental results, without use of parameter fitting techniques.     

The needs of parents with a child on an adult intensive therapy unit

This review examines, by means of a literature search, the needs of parents who have a critically ill child on adult intensive therapy units. These needs are compared with the needs of relatives of adult patients in ITUs. Whether nurses trained in adult nursing have the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to care for the parents is also discussed. Recommendations for ensuring care of the parent point to addressing skills gaps in adult-trained nurses and to reappraising visiting policies.     

Body odour preferences in men and women: do they aim for specific MHC combinations or simply heterozygosity?

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is an immunologically important group of genes that appears to be under natural as well as sexual selection. Several hypotheses suggest that certain MHC-allele combinations (usually heterozygous ones) are superior under selective pressure by pathogens. This could influence mate choice in a way that preferences function to create MHC-heterozygous offspring, or that they function to create specific allele combinations that are beneficial under the current environmental conditions through their complementary or epistatic effects. To test these hypotheses, we asked 121 men and women to score the odours of six T-shirts, worn by two women and four men. Their scorings of pleasantness correlated negatively with the degree of MHC similarity between smeller and T-shirt-wearer in men and women who were not using the contraceptive pill (but not in Pill-users). Depending on the T-shirt-wearer, the amount of variance in the scorings of odour pleasantness that was explained by the degree of MHC similarity (r2) varied between nearly 0 and 23%. There was no apparent effect of gender in this correlation: the highest r2 was actually reached with one of the male odours sniffed by male smellers. Men and women who were reminded of their own mate/ex-mate when sniffing a T-shirt had significantly fewer MHC-alleles in common with this T-shirt-wearer than expected by chance. This suggests that the MHC or linked genes influence human mate choice. We found no significant effect when we tested for an influence of the MHC on odour preferences after the degree of similarity between T-shirt-wearer and smeller was statistically controlled for. This suggests that in our study populations the MHC influences body odour preferences mainly, if not exclusively, by the degree of similarity or dissimilarity. The observed preferences would increase heterozygosity in the progeny. They do not seem to aim for more specific MHC combinations.     

Color image retrieval based on hidden Markov models

In this correspondence, a new approach to retrieving images from a color image database is proposed. Each image in the database is represented by a two-dimensional pseudo-hidden Markov model (2-D PHMM), which characterizes the chromatic and spatial information about the image. In addition, a flexible pictorial querying method is used, by which users can paint the rough content of the desired images in a query picture. Image matching is achieved by comparing the query picture with each 2-D PHMM in the database. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is indeed effective.     

Triple check for antigen specificity of B cells during germinal centre reactions

Somatic hypermutation of the immunoglobulin variable genes during germinal reactions might permit the expansion of B-cell clones with unwanted (e.g. autoreactive) specificity. Here, Ernst Lindhout and colleagues propose three antigen-specific checkpoints that ensure the appropriate antigen specificity of activated B cells is maintained by regulating the activation, selection and further differentiation of B cells.     

Nasopharyngeal colonization in Costa Rican children during the first year of life

BACKGROUND: The establishment of the nasopharyngeal flora was followed in Costa Rican children from birth to 1 year of age. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained at 1 (n = 413), 3 (n = 393), 6 (n = 376) and 12 months (n = 356) of age from children representative of the population in the Puriscal district. Weekly cultures were obtained from a subcohort of these children (n = 101). Mother-infant diads (n = 95) and preschool children (n = 208) attending day-care centers were also studied. RESULTS: The estimated proportion of colonized children in the population differed markedly depending on the frequency of culture. Quarterly cultures showed a slow increase in carrier rates from 3.9% for Haemophilus influenzae, 3.1% for Streptococcus pneumoniae and 6.5% for Moraxella catarrhalis at 1 month of age to 10.1% carrying H. influenzae and 19.4% carrying S. pneumoniae by the end of the first year. By quarterly culture the proportion of children colonized at least once was 36% for S. pneumoniae, 26% for H. influenzae and 28% for M. catarrhalis. In contrast weekly sampling showed that 95 to 100% of the children were colonized at least once during the first year of life with H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae or M. catarrhalis. Nasopharyngeal carriage of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae and M. catarrhalis was low in the mothers, and very few mother-infant pairs carried identical bacteria at the same time. In contrast carrier rates were high in the siblings attending day care (H. influenzae 27.9%, S. pneumoniae 39.4%, both organisms 26.6%). Infants with siblings had significantly higher bacterial carriage at all ages than infants without siblings. CONCLUSIONS: Quarterly nasopharyngeal cultures showed that Costa Rican infants acquire their nasopharyngeal flora at a rate comparable with that for infants in developed countries and that siblings are an important source of the bacteria. Weekly samplings showed that virtually all children were colonized at least once during the first year of life.